Jail or prison



-(No Model.) 2 Sheets-%Sheet 2.

W. H. BROWN'.

JAIL OR PRISON Patented Apr. 5, 1887..

JJV VENTOR.

ihn ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE XVILLIAM H. BRO\VN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES H. SPARKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

JAlL OR PRlSON.

SPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360508, dated April 5, 1887.

Application filed August 5, 1886. Serial No. %10,051. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BROWN,

of the city of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin J ails or Prisons, of which the following is a specifieation.

My present invention consists of improveinents upon that for which Letters Pateut of the United States No. 244358 were granted on c the application of myself and Benjamin F. Haugh, jointly, under date of July 12, 1881. I have found in practice that it is somewhat objectionable to support the rotating cell structure froni the bottom, as shown in said I 5 Letters Patent, and I have therefore arranged to support it from the top, and the means of so supporting it and of making certain desirable adjustmeuts constitute my present invention, as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereot, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional View 2 through a jail orprison embodying the invention described in said Letters Patent and also my present invention, showing the cell structure in top plan; Fig. 2, a central vertical section, on an enlarged scale, ofthat portion ofthe structure embodying my said invention and the immediately adjacent parts, as seen from the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. l; Fig. 3, a detail View, partly in section and partly in side elevation, on a still further enlarged scale, show- 3 ing the supporting and adjusting mechanism still more clearly; and Fig. 4, a detail horizontal sectionalview looking downwardly froni the dotted line 4 4 in Fig. 3.

As in the aforementioned Letters Pateut,

40 the portions marked A represent the outer walls of the jail orprison, constructed substantially after the usual plan of structures of this character; B, a corridor extending around within said walls, between theni and the cell 5 structure; C, a heavy grating extending entirely around all the cells and from the floor to the roof of the same, and permanently secured in place; D, a circular structure divided into cells by partitions d and so mounted as to be capable of revolving about a central vertical axis; E, a central space or opening in the structure Dfor purposes of ventilation, &0.; F, a central pipe or shaft on which the cellstructure is mounted and revolves, and which is also preferably so constructcd as to serve as a smoke-stack, and G a heavy nut or hearing surrounding said pipe'or shaft and serving to supportsaid cell structure. Theseseveral portions are of the same general Construction as shown and described in said Patent No.244,358, and will not, therefore, be described in detail, except as to those features which are of my present invention.

, The cell structure D, as hereinbefore stated, is Suspended from the upper portion instead of being supported from below, as in the aforementioned patent. By this arrangement the revolving nechanisn is kept free from any liability of becoming deranged or clogged from the overfiow of the water-closets, which practical use demonstrated to he one of the disad- Vantages of the old construction, said closets becoming clogged and overfiowing, causingthe mechanism to rust and become seriously impaired. It also permits the use of the adjustable supporting-rods, and more effectually removes the mechanism from the reach of the prisoners. It has therefore an annular ring, D', secured to the inner ends of the radial beams of its roof or top, and in the lower face of this annular ring is preferably an annular groove formed to receive the eonieal anti-frietion rollers d', which directly support it. Running from near this annular ring diagonally to the lower or central portion of the cell structure are stay-rods D each of which, preferably, is construeted with a turn-buckle in its center, the nuts d of which being turned op erate to give the proper tension to these stays or supports, as will be readily understood.

The pipe or shaft F has an enlarged portion carrying screw-threads f, (see particularly F'gs. 2 and 3,) upon which the nut G is mounted. The nut G is nounted upon these screwthreads and carries (through a Washer, g, and an annular-grooved ring G') the anti-friction rollers d, as will be clearly understood by an examination of the drawings, particularly said Figs. 2 and 3. The object of this screw-thread and nut is to enable the cell structure to be accurately adjusted with relation to the surrounding eonstruction,and thus bring the floors too of the cells exactly even with the floors of the corridors surrounding them. It may occasionally, also, be desirable to adjust these somewhat after the original Construction has been con1- pleted, as it frequently happens that the foundation of the central pipe or shaft will settle slightly after being put in place, and when this happens, by the use of this invention the parts can be easily and quickly restored to their proper relative position.

I am aware that roundabouts and similar devices in games and toys have been constructed to revolve around a central post, and that some of them have been principally supported from the top; but I do not regard said i devices as anticipatingthe invention as herein shown and claimed in any degree, inasmuch as there is an entire absence of any of the needs of the class to which this invention belongs in said other class, and consequently the advantages and advance in the art, resulting from the improved Construction herein shown and claimed could not have been known to or anticipated in a class of invention entirely foreign to that to which this invention relates.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-'- 1. The combination, in ajail or prison, of a central pipe or shaft and a cell structure surrounding said shaft and supported thereby from its top or upper portion, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in ajail or prison, of a central shaft having a projection near its upper end, and a cell structure having an annular ring at its top or upper portion, surrounding said shaft and in close 'proxinity thereto above the projection on the shaft, Whereby said cell structure is supported by said shalt 'from its the cell structure may be adjusted, substani tially as set forth.

5. The combination, in'ajail or prison, ofthe central screw-threaded shaft, a nut mounted thereon, and a cell structure surrounding said shaft, having an annular ring in close proximity thereto above said nut and resting thereon, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination, in a jail or prison, of central shaft provided with a screw-threaded portion, a nut mounted on said portion, an annular ring supported by said nut, a cell structure surrounding said shaft, having an annular ring in close proximity thereto above the annular ring carried by the nut, and antifriction rollers interposed between said two annular rings, substantially as set fort-h.

In wituess whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at lndianapolis, Indiana, this 3lst day of July, A. D. 1886.

WILLTAM H. BROWN. [L 5.]

In presence of* C. BRADFORD, CHARLES L. THURBER. 

